My Two Esther’s

 

 

Somewhere in time, this last weekend, the feast of Purim was celebrated.  I’m not Jewish, but I find the history behind most Jewish celebrations interesting.  The feast of Purim is to commemorate the time when the Jewish people were saved from annihilation by the act of a young woman.

The story of Esther is found in the book of Esther, in the Bible.  She was an orphan, raised by her cousin, Mordecai.  The King needed a new Queen, so they sent officials into all the provinces to find all the beautiful young virgins.  Esther was taken during this time with hundreds of other young women.  They would each spend one night with the King. From this he would decide if the girl should be Queen. Something about Esther was different. Something about Esther made her unforgettable. Unlike the hundreds of girls before her, she was not sent on as a concubine, she was made a Queen. 

Haman the Kings right hand man came up with a plot to kill all the Jews in Persia.  Esther heard of the plot from her cousin Mordecai.  At the time, it was forbidden for anyone to come to the King without being summoned.  They could die for the offense. Mordecai pleaded with Esther to go to the King in defense of her people.

Esther 4: 14 “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish.  Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this.”

Esther risked her life and went before the king.  He held out the golden scepter to let those around know that she didn’t need to die for her act of disobedience.  She was saved, but she still had to convince the King that annihilating her people was a bad choice.  She was successful and the feast of Purim celebrates this.

For such a time as this - Some people have a purpose on their life that is life changing for themselves and others.  One defining moment that forces them to take a stand and defend what they believe in.  Esther had this moment and her life and her story have been passed down for many generations.

I have been thinking about my Aunt Esther.  When I was seven years old, my parents divorced.  I’m sure this was a difficult time for both of my parents and I know it was a confusing time for me as a child.  My grandfather came and took all of us to live with him for a few months.  My grandparents still had two children at home.  Not children really, young adults.  My Aunt was a Nurse in her twenties and she welcomed the intrusion of four little children into her home.

She played games with us and spent time with us.  She taught us things that little kids love to learn. One was how to get the truck drivers to honk their horn as they drove through town.  She also taught us how to play old maid. Burping, she told us, in some cultures is polite and shows appreciation after eating.  For this lesson, we were relegated to eating in the kitchen whenever company was around.  We didn’t mind, our Aunt would join us in our burping fun.

She also told us a Bible story, every evening before bed. Her favorite story, was the story of Esther.

She may not have had a defining moment like the biblical Esther. She was probably never required to stand for her faith or die.  She was willing to. She was waiting to go into the mission field when she died of Hodgkin’s disease. She had the spirit, but not the opportunity.  But her life impacted mine.  She took a time in my life that was scary and uncertain and filled it with happy memories.

Many of us have a calling more like that of my Aunt.  We may not have this great story, or this great moment in life, but our life touches other people. 

If you want to change the world – look around.  What can you do that is right at your fingertips?

Plumb - ONE DROP (Blood:Water Mission video) from plumb on GodTube.



www.bloodwatermission.com